Protest arrests mine site work
TWO activists who staged a protest at Adani’s Carmichael mine site suspended from 9m poles for at least seven hours will likely face criminal charges.
The pair, from anti-adani group Frontline Action on Coal, were arrested by Queensland Police at the Galilee Basin site just after 2pm yesterday after suspending themselves from poles in a bid to block Adani’s landclearing machinery.
Queensland Police were alerted to the incident about 7am. Officers were deployed from Bowen, about 400km away, but only arrived on the scene after noon.
According to Frontline Action on Coal, the activists “immobilised” 17 machines.
The group also issued a “red alert”, calling for all people concerned about climate change to travel to central Queensland as soon as possible to “resist the construction of the Carmichael mine”.
An Adani spokeswoman criticised the activists and said construction work, including land clearing, had been under way at the Galilee Basin site for weeks.
“(Yesterday) morning our Queensland contractors have been unable to continue legal and approved work on our Carmichael mine site because two people have decided that their opinion matters more than the law and the right of Queenslanders to make a living,” she said.
Townsville-based LNP Senator Susan Mcdonald slammed the protest as a “campaign of intimidation”.
“Small and family-owned businesses that contract to the mine are being harassed in a campaign of intimidation that is not only illegal but unAustralian,” she said.
“Dozens of people have been arrested in Brisbane and in North Queensland recently amid growing criticism they are disregarding the clear desire of Queenslanders for investment and jobs in our regions.”
Former Greens leader Bob Brown said the protest highlighted the “resurgence of opposition” to the Adani mine.
“The rising tide of alarm in this climate emergency is compelling more and more Australians to be involved and take what action they can, from direct opposition at the mine site to street protests and lobbying the politicians,” he said.
The protesters were taken to Clermont Police Station, where they were expected to be charged overnight.